Nursing unit with flow adjustment means



J 24, WQ H. JQREVANE 2,495,543

. NURSING UNIT WITH FLOW ADJUSTMENT MEANS Filed June 3, 1947 InventorHenry J. Reva/re Patented Jan. 24, 1950 NITED STATES PATET OFFICENURSING UNIT WITH FLOW ADJUSTMENT MEANS 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in nursing nipples and hasmore particular reference to means carried by and built into the nipplefor purposes of overcoming the likelihood that said nipple, when in use,will clog and prevent free discharge of milk through the customaryoutlet holes.

It is a matter of common knowledge that nursing nipples are oftenobjectionable in that they prevent free flow of milk from the bottle,through the nipple and into the mouth of an infant. As a matter of fact,discharge holes in nipples are often either too large or too small and,here again, a nipple which is not right in that it either clogs or flowstoo freely, is objectionable. Then, too, when a nipple clogs due to theclosing of the discharge hole or holes, it will collapse and will thusboth irritate and considerably annoy the infant.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a nipple havinginternal stay means and external flange and coacting screw-cap means,all coacting to provide an improved nipple possessed of requisiteefrlciency.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a, fragmentary perspective view of a nursing bottle andnipple, the latter constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a central, longitudinal or vertical 1' sectional viewthrough the structural assemblage seen in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the nipple and cap detached from thebottle.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figure 2, a nursingbottle is denoted by the numeral 6 and is provided with an externallyscrew-threaded discharge neck I and a suitably shouldered nippleattaching lip 8.

The body of the nipple, which is externally conventional in shape, isdenoted by the numeral 9 and the tip of said nipple is provided withdiverging discharge ports I II and II. attaching portion of the nipple,denoted at I 2, embodies an outstanding annular flange I 3 and a similaroutstanding somewhat thicker flange I4 having an annulus l5, which issuitably beaded, internally, to snap over the beaded lip 5. The

The base or 2 flanged portion of the nipple is adjustably and detachablymounted on the neck of the bottle by way of a plastic or equivalentscrew-cap I6. This cap comprises an annular portion I! having inturnedannular flanges I8 and I9 mounted between the flanges I3 and I4, andserving to properly act on said flanges for appropriate coaction andassemblage of parts. The screw-portion 2 0 is secured to the threadedneck I. The top or outer surface of flange I9 is flat to correspond withflange I8; while the underside of said flange is cut away and beveled,as at [9a, to provide desired clearance and play between coactingsurfaces.

The reason for a slanting, or a circular edge, on flange I9 is to allowa suflicient amount of play or downward movement of screw-cap 20 andstill retain pressure on the nipple holding it secure! against the topof the bottle.

The means for spreading and thus forcing the discharge holes I0 and IIopen, comprises a substantially T-shaped device which includes-arelatively rigid stay or stem 2| which is axially arranged in the bodyportion of the nipple and which is connected at its inner end to acrossmember or spider 22. The spider is formed integral with the baseportion of the nipple. The elements formin the stay means are somewhatmore rigid, and constructed from hard rubber, than the rest of thenipple.

It is evident that by screwing the cap down on the neck of the bottle,the inturned flanges co act with the outstanding flanges on the annularbasal portion of the nipple. The coaction of parts is such that thedesired stress is imposed on the rubber portions of the nipple to tautenand thus lengthen the body of the nipple with respect to the stay meanswhich is relatively rigid. The end-thrust action, thus produced, servesto spread and press the openings Ill and II open and thus facilitate thefree passage of milk therethrough, this in an obvious manner.

Novelty is predicated, on the one hand, on a pliable nipple body withdischarge apertures in its tip-portion and suitable stay meansinterlorly arranged, with cap-controlled marginal flange means whichbrings the stay means into play and which, in turn, provides anadaptation, whereby the degree of effectiveness of the discharge holesmay be rendered more-or-less effective depending on the freedom of flowdesired.

More specifically, novelty is predicated upon the annular basal portionof the stay-equipped nipple, which portion has outstanding flangesproviding for accommodation of internal flanges 3 on the screw-cap,whereb to provide a novel coaction between cap and flanges and the neckof the bottle, to bring about the desired expandable and contractiblefacilities for said nipple.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction withthe invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader toobtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features ofmerit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts maybe resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made fromthe invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a nursin bottle nipple comprising anipple body of conventional shape, the reduced outer tip end of saidbody having customary expandible and contractible milk passages formedtherein, a substantially rigid stay integrally connected at its outerend with said tip portion at a point midway between said milk passages,a spider formed integral with the inner basal end portion of said body,the adjacent end of said stay being connected to the central portion ofsaid spider to allow unobstructed passage of milk into and through thenipple and to at the same time stabilize the entire nipple, the innerend of said nipple being of cap-like form to fit over the neck of anursing bottle, said basal portion having a circumierentially extendingflange spaced from the cap portion andof imperiorate form and adapted tobe flexed in a manner to lengthen and shorten the nipple body inrelation to said stay and to impose a valving action on said passages tocause same to become restricted or enlarged according to the discretionof the user.

2. The structure specified in claim 1, together with a rigid cap adaptedto be threaded on the neck of the nursing bottle, said cap having a pairof spaced parallel flanges, said flanges defining a channel betweenthemselves, the circumferential flange on said nipple fitting snuglyinto said channel.

3. The structure specified in claim 1, together with a rigid cap adaptedto be threaded on the neck of the nursing bottle, said cap having a pairof spaced parallel flanges, said flanges defining a channel betweenthemselves, the circumferential flange on said nipple fitting snuglyinto said channel, and the surface of one of the cap flanges beingcircumferentially bevelled.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a nursing bottle nipple comprising.a nipple body, the outer tip-end of said body having expandible andcontractible milk passages therein, a central stay mounted in said bodyand connected at its outer end to said tip-portion at a point betweensaid passages, a spider attached to the inner basal endportion of saidbody, said stay being connected at its corresponding inner end to saidspider, said inner end having a cap-like basal portion and furtherincluding outstanding circumferential flanges.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a nursing bottle nipple comprising anipple body, the outer tip-end of said body having expandible andcontractible milk passages therein, a central stay mounted in said bodyand connected at its outer end to said tip-portion at a point betweensaid passages, a spider attached to the inner basal endportion of saidbody, said stay being connected at its corresponding inner end to saidspider, said inner end having a cap-like basal portion and furtherincluding imperforate outstanding circumferential flanges, and ascrew-cap having flanges clamped to one of the flanges on said nipple.

HENRY J. REVANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 131,130 Stevenson Sept. 3, 1872551,792 Shute Dec. 24, 1895 582,159 Heller May 4, 1897 1,545,436 McGearyJuly 7, 1925 2,093,130 Kurkjian Sept. 14, 1937 2,093,730 Kurkiian Sept.21, 1937 2,096,961 Condom Oct. 26, 1937

